


It's A Cold World Out There

by togetherboth



Category: Martin and Lewis (RPF)
Genre: Affection, California, Double Acts, Friendship, Love, M/M, Sympathetic Elders, nightclubs, performing, rehearsal, starting out
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:40:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21803836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/togetherboth/pseuds/togetherboth
Summary: When he opened the door, he wished to heaven that he’d remembered these young fellows were arriving today.
Relationships: Jerry Lewis/Dean Martin
Comments: 8
Kudos: 14





	It's A Cold World Out There

When he opened the door, he wished to heaven that he’d remembered these young fellows were arriving today. There’s already so much to do to get the club ready; it’s an awful lot of work and Jimmy’s not as young as he used to be. He doesn’t like to admit it, but things take him a little longer now that he’s on the more burdensome side of his 60th birthday, and things tend to slip his mind a little easier too. Lord forgive him, but he could do without the extra consideration of a couple of rowdy comedians getting under his feet with their rehearsals.

Additionally, he does not like to be caught off guard like this; a humble bartender he may be, not a star in the firmament of showbusiness like some of the wonderful performers he’s been blessed to meet over his many years of service, but he has his own professional pride and his standards to maintain. Why, Mr Al Jolson himself had said to him in the year of our Lord 1927, “Mr Jimmy”, he said, “I believe you run the loveliest bar outside of Los Angeles”, and it had given Jimmy quite the warmest glow in his heart to hear such a kind sentiment from a gentleman of Mr Jolson’s standing.

So he kicks himself a little for forgetting about the arrival of this young act. At least sweet Maria, bless her heart, has already been in and mopped the floor, so they’ll have a nice clear space in which to practice. All of the other preparations fall to Jimmy however and, though he appreciates the dignity of work and the rewards of toil, it is a little much for a fellow who, as he may have mentioned before Lord forgive him, won’t see his 60th birthday again. While he prides himself on bringing a little southern hospitality to the golden state, he does hope it's not too uncharitable to wish for these two boys not to get in the way too greatly.

Jimmy thinks he covered pretty well for the fact that he’d forgotten all about them, for he would hate for them to feel unwelcome. They seem such nice boys. Two fellows just starting out with an act together, fresh out of New York City he’s been given to understand. Mr Levy the manager had explained it all to him the previous evening, he recalls. 

Quite professional they seem in their appearance, though both young. Well, one young and one very young, it seems to Jimmy. The junior of the two, the wiry Jewish boy, had stuck his hand out for Jimmy to shake the very second he’d opened the door. The boy was wearing a bow tie and a tweed suit that looked as though it could happily accommodate an additional person and still have room for pudding. Lying at his feet was a very large canvas duffel bag. He seemed polite and eager to make a good impression, both admirable qualities, Jimmy thought, in a young performer.

“Good afternoon, sir,” he’d said. “My name is Jerry Lewis and this is my partner Dean Martin.” He gestured towards a striking Italian-looking fellow standing just behind his right shoulder, who acknowledged the introduction with a very slight incline of his head.

“Mr Levy said we’d be allowed to come in and rehearse for a couple hours before tonight, our first show?” Ah, New Jersey, Jimmy thought. New Jersey, and the curious syntax of youth. By the time young Mr Lewis had finished his upward-tilting sentence his eyes were already darting beyond Jimmy, taking in the club and apparently sizing up the performance space. This one’s sharper than he looks, Jimmy had thought. Very sharp, very keen. An old pro in a young body. Jimmy took his proffered hand and shook it warmly.

“Of course Mr Lewis, of course. We’ve been expecting you and your partner to arrive at any moment. You’re both most welcome, boys. Come in, come in.”

“Thank you very much, sir,” Mr Lewis said happily as he hustled into the club, picking up the enormous old duffel and swinging it onto his shoulder as he went. He practically flew through the cabaret tables and went straight into the middle of the performance space, gazing all around him with a deeply assessing eye.

Jimmy turned now to Mr Martin, whom he found to be watching his partner with an expression of pure indulgence on his handsome face.

“Mr Martin,” Jimmy said, offering his hand. “Welcome.”

“Thank you.” He replied, engulfing Jimmy’s hand with his own. “What’s your name, sir?”

“James Mackenzie, at your service,” said Jimmy, giving a tiny bow. “But all my friends call me Mr Jimmy, and I trust you’ll count yourself among their number.”

“Well surely, Mr Jimmy, “ replied the young man, favouring Jimmy with what he must say was really quite a remarkably disarming smile. “And _my_ friends call me Dino. You’ll do the same, I hope.”

“Gladly, Dino.” Jimmy said, returning his smile.

“And by the way, my partner there’s Jerry, no need to ‘Mr Lewis’ him.” Dino added. “He’d have told you that himself if he wasn’t overcome by his homing instinct for stage lights. Boy’s like a darned moth.” 

Together they looked out across the floor, to where Jerry was happily bustling around, unpacking a large bundle of papers from his bag and laying them out on top of the piano. From what Jimmy could see at such distance (he really must get around to fixing himself up with a new pair of eyeglasses), the bundle was mostly musical scores, together with a few typed pages and some rather messily scrawled notes. Jerry was busily arranging them into neat piles, looking utterly engrossed in his work. He darted back down to the bag and, after some noisy rummaging, emerged with two rather battered straw boaters and a couple of canes which he laid out carefully alongside the papers. Jimmy turned to Dino, who was engaged in lighting himself a cigarette. He tilted the pack towards Jimmy in invitation.

“No, thank you kindly,” said Jimmy. “An enthusiastic young gentleman, your partner.”

“That’s one word for it,” said Dino, looking over at Jerry with such exasperated affection that Jimmy couldn’t help but smile. “He’ll give himself an ulcer before he’s twenty-two.”

“Dean! Dino, c’mere!” Jerry called out excitedly, eyes leaving the pile of scores he was shuffling through for a moment to beckon his partner over. “I want to see if we got all the right music here.”

“Excuse me, Mr Jimmy,” Dino said, giving him friendly pat on the shoulder.

“Certainly, certainly. Now, might I assist with your bags?” Jimmy had just noticed that Dino had a canvas duffel just like his partner’s, as well as a very large, very battered leather suitcase.

“No, that’s just fine, thank you,” he said, hoisting both up as easily as if they were full of feathers. He sauntered over to the piano while Jimmy made his way back to the bar, still watching his visitors. They were quite charming boys really, and didn’t seem as though they would cause him any consternation this afternoon. And after all, it surely is nice for a body to have a little company while working. 

Retrieving his cloth to continue polishing up the martini glasses, Jimmy watched as Dino dropped his bags down next to Jerry’s and went over to see what his partner was up to, quietly sliding an arm around his skinny waist and giving him an affectionate squeeze. Jerry looked up from their papers and favored his partner with a grin, before wrapping his own arm around Dino’s shoulders as they peered down at the music together.

With their backs to him like this Jimmy could see that Jerry was actually the taller of the two, if only by a fraction, but as soon as that arm went around his middle he seemed to melt, tucking himself almost primly against Dino’s side and shrinking as he did so. Jimmy smiled; _someone likes to feel protected_ , he thought to himself. 

As Jimmy looked on unobserved, he saw Jerry suddenly take notice of the smouldering cigarette his partner held. He enfolded Dino’s hand in his own and guided the cigarette to his lips to steal a drag. They were standing so close that it was easy for him to blow the smoke out cheekily into Dino’s face. Instead of getting mad, as Jimmy might’ve expected a young man to do, Dino made an exaggerated pantomime of chasing the smoke and inhaling it all up though his nose, which elicited a delighted giggle from Jerry. Jimmy chuckled to himself at their antics, already becoming mighty fond of his new young friends.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the_widow_twankey 's prompt on the Martin and Lewis Fanwork's Group Discord:  
> 'When he opened the door, he wished...".


End file.
